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Hear from the judges on the upcoming inaugural Artistry & Craft Awards

22 November 2023 • Written by Katia Damborsky

Andrew Winch has said he hopes to celebrate the finest craftspeople in the world at the inaugural BOAT Artistry & Craft Awards. "There's so much value, so much talent out there," he said.

One of the judging panel, the name behind Winch Design said he was looking to be amazed, inspired and excited. "I am looking for the unique and outstanding winners," he said. "Let's grab this opportunity to celebrate the beautiful craftsmanship that is put into these yachts for our clients."

A staircase or lighting fixture can make all the difference to a yacht project, according to the BACAS judges

Deborah Pocock LVO, CEO of QEST (Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust) shed some light on what kind of craftspeople she was hoping would enter this year. "Whether you're a sculptor, a glass-maker, a ceramicist... if you're creating something that is a feature like a staircase or some lighting, I think it's really important to discover new talent. [These] could be an integral part of what goes into a superyacht."

Lay Koon Tan, co-founder of sustainable surface design company Nature Squared, agreed, saying that the work of craftspeople is "integral to the soul and spirit of every one of our boat projects". She noted that NDAs mean that "their output is [seldom] celebrated." She said: "I hope that these awards provide a platform in which craftspeople get the recognition they deserve."

Koon Tan added: "In this day and age, I would also hope that concepts reflect considerations of ethics and sustainability."

It can often be the small artistic details that set a superyacht apart

BOAT's creative director Christopher Whale is the chair of the judging panel. "Designers are often challenged to create the near-impossible on board superyachts," said Whale. "I'm really keen to discover artists whose clever processes have overcome those challenges," he said.

"At our Superyacht Design Festival in Austria, we celebrate the yacht designers, naval architects and interior designers of all that year's new builds," continued Whale. "But often it's the artisans, the ones who create the finer details on board, that are overlooked. We want to discover those artisans."